Monday, July 30, 2007

At the home-school convention, I heard a staggering statistic. Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis said that 9 out 10 children raised in the church turn away from the faith of the parents. I was floored and what's more I was concerned for my own children, I immediately started praying, "O Father, not mine, please God let my children love you and never stray from you. Let them be that 1 %." Then I started thinking about the children that I know and love outside of my own and I became really concerned. I don't want those children to stray away from the love and safety of Abba Father, either. Throughout the summer and while Directing VBS (which is why I haven't written in so long) the thought keeps coming, "Why? Why are the young adults turning away in droves?" After much prayer and during several Bible studies, ( don't you love when God answers your prayers from many different sources - I love that!) here are a few of my feeble conclusions, I hope they get you to thinking as well.

1. The power of God - we have watered down the power of God. I have been participating in Beth Moore's study " Believing God" and I think she's onto something! We have let evolution and modern science convince us that God can't do what He says He can! If He can't create the world in 6 days with a word then how can we believe that Jesus is the son of God and has the power to cleanse us from our sin and raise from the dead? If God can't do what He says He can then what's the point? We have to give our kids the blessing of belief in an all knowing, all powerful God whose word is infallible and can change their lives! Nothing is too big for an all powerful creator! He created us and so He can save us from what we need saving from! Hebrews 11:3 says "By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible." We have to believe this by faith and Heb 11:6 says that we cannot please God with out this faith.

2. Is God everything to us? Does the love of God permeate our everyday lives? Duet 6 says to speak about God to our children in when we raise up and lie down and when we are walking on the road. In other words, we are to instruct our children in the ways of God all day long but to do that we must have Him present in our lives all day long. He must be an integral part of everything we do so that our children can't imagine life without him. Matt 22:37-40 tells us to "YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'38"This is the great and foremost commandment. 39"The second is like it, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' 40"On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

3. Bible Memorization - Psalm 119:11 says "I have hidden your word in my heartthat I might not sin against you. " We must encourage them to hide the word of God in their hearts. Even 2 and 3 years olds can do this! Start with Gen 1:1 and start early to instill a Biblical Worldview. Check out the CD's Seeds of Faith, Seeds of Courage and Seeds of Worship - an easy way to memorize verse while singing in the car!

4. Pray, pray , pray! Pray for our children - those that are in your home and in your church and family! We must ASK!

5. Get involved! I saw this in a dramatic way during VBS. I was able to talk and discuss the love of God and his greatness with children that I never would have been able to otherwise. If we don't pass on a Godly heritage to those around us who will? I don't want to face God with just my own children but with a crowd of children.